Phlox plant named PHMZ0002

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of Phlox plant named ‘PHMZ0002,’ characterized by its large sized inflorescences, having a lilac color with a white eye, deep green leaves, and a compact, upright, and branched plant habit.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims priority to European Community Plant Variety Office (CPVO) Plant Breeder's Rights Application No. 2017/1506 filed on Jun. 9, 2017, the entire contents of which is incorporated by reference herein.

Latin name of the genus and species of the plant claimed: Phlox paniculata, commonly known as garden Phlox. Varietal denomination: ‘THMZ0002’. Botanical name by genus and species: Phlox paniculata ‘Sweet Summer Lilac Wink’.

BACKGROUND

The claimed plant is a new and distinct cultivar of the Phlox plant, botanically known as Phlox paniculata, and hereinafter referred to by the name ‘PHMZ0002’ or “the new Phlox.” Clones or propagules of the claimed plant are identical to the original plant in all distinguishing characteristics.

The parents of ‘PHMZ0002’ are unknown. The new Phlox is a product of a planned breeding program in an open pollination cultivated area in Enkhuizen, The Netherlands in August 2009. The claimed plant is related to Phlox paniculata ‘Blue Paradise’.

‘PHMZ0002’ was also selected in Enkhuizen, Netherlands as one flowering plant in July 2010 and immediately reproduced. Thus, asexual reproduction of ‘PHMZ0002’ was accomplished when vegetative cuttings were propagated in July 2010 in a greenhouse in Enkhuizen, The Netherlands.

The new Phlox has large sized inflorescences having a lilac color with a white eye, deep green leaves, and an upright plant habit.

SUMMARY

Horticultural examination of plants grown from cuttings of the plant initiated in the fall of 2010, and continuing thereafter, has demonstrated that the combination of characteristics as disclosed herein for ‘PHMZ0002’ are firmly fixed and are retained through successive generations of asexual reproduction.

The claimed plant has not been observed under all possible environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environment and cultural practices such as temperature, light intensity, and day length, without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits disclosed herein have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be unique characteristics of ‘PHMZ0002’. At least these characteristics, in combination, distinguish ‘PHMZ0002’ as a new and distinct cultivar of Phlox:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Phlox have improved branching relative to         other plants of the botanical class.     -   2. Plants of the new Phlox have darker green leaves relative to         other plants of the botanical class.     -   3. Plants of the new Phlox are shorter relative to other plants         of the botanical class.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying colored photograph illustrates the overall appearance of the new Phlox, showing the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in the photograph may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description, which accurately describe the colors of the new Phlox. The photograph was taken in July 2016 in Andijk, The Netherlands, where the plant was about 14 weeks old and was grown in a 13 cm pot.

FIG. 1 shows a close-up view of typical flowers of ‘PHMZ0002.’

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photograph describes a plant grown in Enkhuizen, The Netherlands, under commercial testing practice during the summer in containers in an outdoor nursery. During the production of the plant, day temperatures ranged from 12° Celsius to 30° Celsius, and night temperatures ranged from 2° Celsius to 16° Celsius. The plant was propagated by cuttings and was growing in a container for four months when the photograph was taken. In the following description, descriptions of color are made with reference to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 2001 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

Table 1 below shows a comparison between the new Phlox and a similar variety, ‘DITOMSUR U.S. Plant Pat. No. 21,109’.

TABLE 1 ‘PHMZ0002’ ‘DITOMSUR PP21,109’ Flower color Lilac with white eye Voilet with white eye Branching More Less Leaf color Deep green Medium green

-   Botanical classification: Phlox paniculata ‘PHMZ0002’. -   Parentage:     -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—unnamed selection of Phlox             paniculata, not patented.         -   Male, or pollen, parent.—unnamed selection of Phlox             paniculata, not patented. -   Propagation:     -   -   Type.—by cuttings.         -   Time to initiate roots.—about 2 weeks at 15° Celsius to 25°             Celsius.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant about 5 weeks at 15°             Celsius to 25° Celsius.         -   Root description.—fibrous and thin, having a color close to             N155D.         -   Rooting habit.—moderate branching that is fairly dense. -   Plant description:     -   -   Plant form/habit.—compact and upright habit, with a             moderately vigorous growth habit.         -   Branching habit.—freely branching habit with about eight             lateral branches per plant; pinching enhances branching.         -   Plant height.—about 38.2 cm in a pot, and 55 cm in a garden.         -   Plant width.—about 35.2 cm.         -   Lateral branches.—length depends on growing conditions, but             generally about 24.2 cm; diameter is about 5 mm. The             internode length is about 2.7 cm. The branches are fairly             strong. The texture of the branches is smooth and glabrous.             The color is close to 147D. -   Foliage description:     -   -   Arrangement.—opposite, simple.         -   Length.—about 12.3 cm.         -   Width.—about 4.2 cm.         -   Shape.—narrowly ovate.         -   Apex.—acute.         -   Base.—obtuse.         -   Margin.—entire.         -   Texture, upper and lower surfaces.—smooth and glabrous.         -   Venation pattern.—pinnate.         -   Color.—deep green, generally. The upper surface of             developing leaves is darker than 147C and heavily flushed             with N185A. The lower surface of developing leaves is darker             than 147C. Fully expanded leaves have an upper surface close             to 137B; venation close to 145C. Fully expanded leaves have             a lower surface close to 137D; venation close to 145A.         -   Petioles.—length is about 2.7 mm; diameter is about 3.2 mm.             The texture of the upper and lower surface is smooth and             glabrous. The color of the upper and lower surfaces is close             to 145B. -   Stem:     -   -   Branching characteristics.—from the bottom; new branches are             made in the Spring.         -   Quantity of main branches per plant.—about 8 to 10.         -   Color of stem.—close to 143A.         -   Stem length.—about 32.0 to 34.0 cm.         -   Stem width.—about 0.3 cm.         -   Length of internodes.—about 2 to 3.3 cm.         -   Texture.—hirsute.         -   Peduncle.—length of about 8.5 cm; diameter of about 4 mm;             strength: strong; texture is smooth and glabrous; color is             close to 146C. -   Flower description:     -   -   Flower type/habit.—single rotate flowers arranged in             terminal compound panicles; flowers face mostly upright or             are outwardly facing. Panicles are rounded and hemispherical             in shape. The claimed plant has a freely flowering habit             with about 60 flowers developing per inflorescence. In             general, the blossoms/flowers include a large head with a             plurality of light lilac flowers.         -   Fragrance.—medium fragrance; sweet and pleasant.         -   Natural flowering season.—flowering from July to September             in The Netherlands.         -   Postproduction longevity.—flowers last about eleven days on             the plant.         -   Flower buds.—the height is about 1.2 cm. The diameter is             about 3 mm. The shape is narrowly oblanceolate. The color is             close to 70C; the lower half is close to N186A; the base is             close to 145C to 145D.         -   Inflorescence height.—about 14 cm.         -   Inflorescence diameter.—about 9.8 cm.         -   Flower diameter.—about 3.5 cm.         -   Flower depth.—about 2.9 cm.         -   Petals.—quantity per flower: typically five in a single             whorl; petals fused at the base into a narrow tube. Length             from throat: about 1.7 cm. Length fused: about 1.8 cm. Lobe             width: about 1.3 cm. Lobe shape: roughly spatulate. Apex:             rounded. Margin: entire. Texture, upper and lower surfaces:             smooth, glabrous. Color of developing petals, upper surface:             close to N87C; spots between about 86D and N155A; towards             the throat about N87C to N87D; at the throat about N87B.             Color of developing petals, lower surface: about 92A; tube             is close to 92B. Color of fully expanded petals, upper             surface: about N87D; spots between about 85D and N155A;             towards the throat about darker than N88D; throat is close             to N88D. Color of fully expanded petals, lower surface:             close to N88D; tube, close to 85D.         -   Sepals.—quantity per flower: typically five in a single             whorl, fused towards the base. Length: about 8 mm. Width:             about 1.6 mm. Shape: lanceolate. Apex: narrowly apiculate.             Margin: entire. Texture, upper and lower surfaces: smooth,             glabrous. Color of developing sepals, upper and lower             surfaces: about N187C; towards the base is about 145D. Color             of expanded sepals, upper and lower surfaces: about N187C;             towards the margins is about 145C.         -   Pedicels.—Length: about 5 mm. Diameter: about 1 mm.             Strength: strong. Texture: smooth, glabrous. Color: close to             144D.         -   Reproductive organs.—Androecium — Stamens: anthers and             filaments fused to upper half of corolla tube; four anthers             with two pollen sacs per anther. Color of filaments: close             to 151D. Filament length: about 0.2 cm. Anther color: close             to 151C. Anther length: about 0.1 cm. Pollen amount: none             observed. Gynoecium — Pistil quantity per flower: one.             Pistil length: about 1.6 cm. Stigma color: close to 144A.             Style length: about 1.6 cm. Style color: close to N144B.             Ovary color: close to 144B. Ovary length: about 0.2 cm.             Ovary width: about 0.1 cm.         -   Seed/fruit.—seed and fruit development have not been             observed.         -   Winter dormancy.—in winter dormancy, the plant is not             visual.         -   Disease/pest resistance.—plants of the new Phlox have been             observed to be tolerant to Downy Mildew. Plants of the new             Phlox have not been observed to be resistant to pests or             other pathogens common to Phlox.         -   Garden performance.—plants of the new Phlox have been             observed to have good garden performance and be tolerate to             rain, wind, and temperatures ranging from —20° Celsius to             40° Celsius. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A new and distinct Phlox plant named ‘PHMZ0002’ as illustrated and described herein. 